boewulf/Anglo-saxon

Over all I thought the story was interesting (though hard to read and understand at some points). Right off, we start with the traditional, hero saves the day routine. A demon named Grendle takes over the mead-hall, Herot. The king of the Danes, Hrothgar grew desperate from grendle's acts. Then, like a traditional hero, Beowulf comes and saves the hall. with every major modern day hero there comes certain characteristics. They are always brave and strong of course,("But a warrior of Hygelac's heard of Grendel's doings; he was the strongest of men alive in that day, mighty and noble. That man called for a ship, said he would cross the ocean and help the king who needed help."episode 2 part 2 "Beowulf hears of Grendle"). We also see our hero dive under water to fight grindle's mother, that is something straight out of comic book.

The Anglo-Saxon culture was based on honor in country and warriors tradition. When Beowulf first arrives at hrothgars castle a Dane named Unthfar accuses him of being unworthy of the challenge presented by grendle, by twisting a story away from beowulfs favor. Beowulf protects his honor by telling theme of his feats of strength swimming against Brecca.("Well, my friend Unferth, you have said a good many things about Brecca and that trip, drunk on beer as you are. Truth to tell, I had more strength but also more hardships in the waves. He and I were both boys and boasted out of our youth that we two would risk our lives in the sea.") We see here how Beowulf has built his heroic reputation to such a point that people are jealous and he still gives respect to everyone, including Unthfar,as is the culture.

Later in the story,when Beowulf became king it was after the previous kings died. Once you became king you were king for life. This shows the cultural traditions toward being ruled. ("Later it happened,after Hygelac fallen the storm of war,and his son, Heardred, fell too under his shield,killed by the sword fighting the Swedes, that the broad kingdom came into Beowulf's hand."episode nine)

At the end of the story when Beowulf dies he is burned and his ashes are spread in a mound full of treasure, overlooking the sea. This illustrates the cultures belief in the afterlife. Everything was believed to have a soul, and when you died it could keep walking the earth or pass to another place. ("Bid my warriors raise a splendid mound on the shore-cliffs after my funeral fire that a remembrance shall tower high on Hronesness. Sea-farers shall after ward call it Beowulf's Mound when they pilot ships far over the ocean's mists."episode twelve)

Now, about how he died, there are a couple of ways to look at Beowulfs encounter with the dragon. The dragon was the protector of treasure and someone stole that treasure. Would a wise leader not know this? Could he not of found and returned the cup? Maybe that's not fair, attacking the beast could have been the only way. ("Near and far was seen the dragon's violence, how that destroyer hated and humbled the Geat people. The people of the land were enveloped in fire. Beowulf learned the terror quickly, in truth: the surging fires burned his house, the mead hall of the Geats. That was sorrow to the good man.")So the dragon needed to be killed, but for the leader of the country, the KING, to go himself seems like the last resort. Also, before the battle it says he had flashes of previous acts of glory. That causes me to think Beowulf wanted one last act of heroism.